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A30    PEOPLE & ARTS
                 Wednesday 28 June 2017
                 U2 bassist thanks band for  helping him through addiction



            By JOCELYN NOVECK            award from MusiCares, the
            AP National Writer           charity arm of the National
              NEW  YORK  (AP)  —  In  a  Academy  of  Recording
            frank and heartfelt speech,  Arts  and  Sciences.  “In  our
            U2  bassist  Adam  Clayton  band, no one will be a ca-
            thanked his bandmates of  sualty. We all come home,
            four decades for their sup-  or none of us come home.
            port  during  his  treatment  No one will be left behind.
            and  recovery  for  alcohol  Thank you for honoring that
            abuse years ago, and then  promise, and letting me be
            joined them for a rollicking  in your band.”
            rendition of a few hits.     He  ended  by  quoting  lyr-
            “We  have  a  pact  with  ics  that  Bono,  U2’s  front-
            each other,” said Clayton,  man, had written when the
            57,  who  was  receiving  an  band  was  starting  out:  “If















                                                                      Edge, left, Adam Clayton, and Bono perform at The 13th Annual MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Con-
                                                                      cert at The Playstation Theater on Monday, June 26, 2017, in New York.
                                                                                                                                            Associated Press
                                                                      you walk away, walk away,  ing  disease  is  what  drove  slack  of  my  failing.  Bono,
                                                                      I  will  follow.”  At  that,  his  me  towards  this  wonderful  The  Edge,  and  Larry  (Mul-
                                                                      bandmates  came  out  to  life I now have. It’s just that  len)  truly  supported  me
                                                                      join him, performing “Stuck  I  couldn’t  take  my  friend  before and after I entered
                                                                      in a Moment You Can’t Get  alcohol.  At  some  point  I  recovery,  and  I  am  unre-
                                                                      Out Of,” ‘’Vertigo” and, fit-  had to leave it behind and  servedly  grateful  for  their
                                                                      tingly, “I Will Follow.”     claim my full potential.”    friendship,  understanding
                                                                      The evening at the PlaySta-  He said part of the reason  and support.”
                                                                      tion Theater in Times Square  he  had  a  hard  time  quit-  Clayton  received  the  Ste-
                                                                      also  featured  performanc-  ting  drinking  was  that,  “I  vie Ray Vaughan Award for
                                                                      es  by  rapper  Michael  didn’t think you could be in  his support of the MusiCares
                                                                      Franti,  Jack  Garratt,  reg-  a band and not drink. It is  MAP Fund, which offers mu-
                                                                      gae singer Chronixx, Macy  so much a part of our cul-     sicians access to addiction
                                                                      Gray,  and  The  Lumineers,  ture.”                       recovery treatment.
                                                                      who are currently appear-    It was Eric Clapton, he said,  Arriving at the theater ear-
                                                                      ing with U2 on their “Joshua  who  finally  told  him  he  lier,  he  told  reporters  the
                                                                      Tree” tour.                  needed help.                 fund  was  especially  im-
                                                                      Clayton  was  introduced  “He didn’t sugarcoat it. He  portant  given  the  current
                                                                      by  British  record  producer  told  me  that  I  needed  to  epidemic  of  opioid  ad-
                                                                      Chris Blackwell as someone  change  my  life  and  that  I  diction.  “MusiCares  ...  re-
                                                                      who  “lived  through  ad-    wouldn’t regret it,” Clayton  ally  provides  funding  for  a
                                                                      diction  and  came  out  the  said.  He  credited  anoth-  lot  of  people  to  look  into
                                                                      other  side,  and  has  been  er  friend,  The  Who’s  Pete  those things and find help,”
                                                                      courageous enough to ad-     Townshend,  for  visiting  him  he said. He added that his
                                                                      mit it.”                     in  rehab,  where  he  “put  bandmates had been sup-
                                                                      Taking the stage, the bass-  steel on my back.”           porting him for 40 years.
                                                                      ist  quipped:  “I’m  not  used  As for his bandmates, Clay-  “You  know,  I  guess  they
                                                                      to  achieving  anything  on  ton  said,  “I  was  lucky  be-  loved  me  before  I  knew
                                                                      my own.”                     cause  I  had  three  friends  how  to  love  myself,”  he
                                                                      Turning serious, he said: “I’m  who  could  see  what  was  said.  “So  it’s  really  impor-
                                                                      an alcoholic, addict, but in  going  on  and  who  loved  tant  that  they  share  this
                                                                      some  ways  that  devastat-  me enough to take up the  with me.”q
















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